[19252] in APO-L
Re: No Subject
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Kim Linonis)
Mon Oct 5 17:12:53 1998
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1998 17:11:55 -0500
Reply-To: Kim Linonis <klinonis@ANSC1.CAG.UCONN.EDU>
From: Kim Linonis <klinonis@ANSC1.CAG.UCONN.EDU>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
In-Reply-To: <e59d3cc.36190390@aol.com>
> Come on sisters. We are now almost a majority in APO.
>
I am NOT your sister. I AM your Brother. I was inducted,
pledged, and initiated as a full Brother of APO. I knew the language
that was used to refer to initiates when I rushed. I am not offended
by the terminology, I am proud. Proud that the group of Brothers at
the 1976 convention saw the wisdom in allowing females to be full
participants in the wonderful Fraternity that is APO.
When my Brotherhood met weekly (I was active from 1987 - 1992) we
came together as equals. And in my chapter (Delta Sigma - University
of Connecticut) women have been in the majority for almost 2 decades,
but we respect our traditions and the Brothers who have come before
us.
Brotherhood is an all inclusive term; men and women. Yes, the
male term is used, but so what? I know I am a woman, very few people
would mistake me for anything else. I am secure enough in my
sexuality that a can see past the absolute descriptive nature of
the term. Brother and Brotherhood is a feeling, a manner of thinking.
It is that form of those terms I hold dear. It ties us to our past,
and that is not a bad thing - to remember where we have come from and
how we have changed.
We are a Brotherhood as in the Brotherhood of mankind. Gender neutral
terminology is, in my opinion, a waste of time and energy. I do not
want to be a member or a sibling. When I enter a gathering of APO
alumni, I am entering the welcoming embrace of my Brothers - we are
equal in stature and in name. We are not siblings - someone older,
someone younger - we are equal. We are Brothers.
So, until that time that a National Convention tells me otherwise,
All initiates of APO are Brothers. As I Brother, I respect your right
to hold a given opinion about our Fraternity. If you want to petition
the National Fraternity to rename female Brothers as Sisters, that
too is your right, but do not expect all females to follow your lead.
This is not about sexism and it's not about blindly following
outdated traditions - it's about seeing the big picture through a
litany of people feeling victimized because only then do they feel
redeemed.
A word can take on any meaning a person or group of people want it
to. Political Correctness has had it's day. Aren't there more
important things to be worrying about?
In Leadership, Friendship and Service (maybe our motto is outdated
too?),
Kim Linonis
Delta Sigma
University of Connecticut
'91-'92 President
CT Area Alumni Organization
Treasurer
PS - don't get me started on the rights of all male chapters...
